1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a showcase for storing and displaying post-type earrings. The novel showcase is designed for travelers whereby it is easily converted from the closed storage-and-transport mode to the open hanging-display mode. The novel showcase is especially useful for receiving large, dangling earrings therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Earrings are common adornments worn by men and women on their persons. One type that is in common use is the post-type earring, which is used by persons with pierced ear lobes. A post-type earring includes a decorative portion which is supported on a post, which post is inserted in the ear lobe of the wearer. A dangling-type earring includes a decorative portion that is large relative to the ear lobe, and dangles loosely below the post.
As a result of the attractiveness of wearing dangling earrings, many people, especially women, have acquired fairly large collections of post-type earrings in matched pairs for use in combination with particular outfits of attire. When going on a trip, earring wearers take along a plurality of matched pairs of earrings to be worn on different occasions during the trip. It is not satisfactory to place these earrings, especially dangling earrings, loosely in a bag or purse, because they may become scratched, broken, bent or stuck together while they are being transported in the wearer's baggage. Also where many matched pairs are mixed together, a particular pair may be difficult to find. Several solutions to this problem have been proposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,179 to B. A. Miller discloses a zippered purse having an attached tab in which post-type earrings can be mounted. Because of its size, only a few small earrings can be mounted on the tab. Also, the tab is not adapted for mounting dangling earrings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,012 to H. Dufour discloses a jewelry holder in the form of a loose-leaf notebook. The holder includes a ring binder with padded front and back covers, two mesh pages on which post-type earrings can be mounted, and a cushioned separator page between the mesh pages. The pages are holed and are held on the rings of the binder by the holes therein. The binder is provided with a tab having a Velcro closure pair for releasably holding the binder covers together. While this holder can accommodate large, dangling earrings, it is not adapted for a modern traveler's needs. The stiff binder cover and pages therein result in a bulky, relatively heavy mass that is not suitable for modern travel. Also the holder is not adapted to be hung, as on a wall or from a coat hanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,883 to K. M. Miller discloses a foldable jewelry holder comprising a flexible rectangular sheet of mesh-type material bonded to a sheet of craft foam. A stiff wire is sewn along one minor edge of the composite sheet so that the composite sheet can be rolled up from the one minor edge and tied together with the cords attached near the other minor edge. While this jewelry holder is flexible, is adapted by its flexibility and weight for modern travel, is not bulky and is able to be hanged, it is not adapted for storing and displaying large and dangling earrings.